A Divine Cordial

1. Without this all our Religion is vain. 'Tis not duty, but love to duty, God looks at; 'tis not how much we do,¹ but how much we love. If a servant doth not his work willingly, and out of love, it is not accepted. Duties not mingled with love, are as burdensome to God, as they are to us. David therefore counsels his son Solomon to serve God with a willing mind, 1 Chron. 28.9. To do duty, without love, is not sacrifice, but penance.

1. Without this all our Religion is vain. 'Tis not duty, but love to duty, God looks at; 'tis not how much we do,¹ but how much we love. If a servant doth not his work willingly, and out of love, it is not accepted. Duties not mingled with love, are as burdensom to God, as they are to us. David therefore counsels his son Solomon to serve God with a willing mind, 1 Chron. 28.9. To do duty, without love, is not sacrifice, but pennance.

1. 11. Motiv.

¹2. Love is the most noble and excellent grace, it is a pure flame kindled from Heaven, by it we resemble God who is love. ⟨p. 117⟩Believing and obeying do not make us like God, but by love we grow like him, 1 John 4.16. Love is a grace doth most delight in God, and is most delightful to him. That Disciple which was most full of love, lay in Christs bosom. Love puts a verdure and lustre upon all the Graces: the Graces seem to be eclipsed, unless love shine and sparkle in them: Faith is not true, unless it work by love; the waters of repentance are not pure, unless they flow from the Spring of love. Love is the savoury meat God loves, it is the Incense makes all our Services fragrant and odoriferous; it is Vinum aromaticum, the Spiced Wine, and the juice of the Pomegranate.